Lufthansa - Formed as Luftag on 6 January 1953, an order of four Super Constellations was placed late 1953. The company name was later changed to Lufthansa and the first Super Connie was delivered to Hamburg on 15 January 1955, followed by three more aircraft until end of May the same year. The first flight with the 1049Gs was a special flight carrying the Federal Chancellor to Paris on 7 May 1955. Scheduled services
started on 8 June 1955, with a three times weekly North Atlantic
service from Hamburg to New York, via Dusseldorf and Shannon. Lufthansa
becoming the first airline to operate 1049Gs in Europe.

D-ALEM on final approach to Frankfurt airport in June 1966, Zoggavia Collection.

In 1956 services were extended to five times weekly and flights started from Dusseldorf to Chicago via Manchester, UK. Also the second batch of 1049Gs was delivered during 1956, enabling Lufthansa to offer nine weekly flights from Hamburg to New York, two via Dusseldorf and Paris, two via Dusseldorf and Shannon, and five via Frankfurt and Shannon, followed by services to South America with flights from Hamburg and Frankfurt to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires via Paris and Dakar. Also services to Montreal and Chicago were started. In September 1956 Middle Eastern services were added to Istanbul, Beirut,, Baghdad, Tehran originating from Hamburg via Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, or Munich.

1049H, N1880 was leased from Transocean Airlines for a twice-weekly "SuperCargo" all-Cargo
service from Frankfurt to New York in March 1959, seen here at New York Idlewild, Zoggavia Collection.

Service from New York to Cologne/Bonn was inaugurated with the 1649As on 14 February 1958. The first of four Starliners was delivered in September 1957 and early the following year the type took over all the Germany to New York services from the 1049Gs. "The Senator" service, with First and De Luxe accommodation only, including berths, was flown twice from Hamburg - Frankfurt - Dusseldorf to New York.

D-ALAN L-1649A Starliner seen towed to the terminal for a return flight to Europe at Tokyo in 1961.
Clinton H. Groves Collection

In March 1959, Viscounts started to replace the 1049Gs on the route to Spain and other European destinations. The routes to the Middle East were extended to Asia as far as Bangkok and Singapore, using the 1049Gs' capacity. On 17 March 1960 Boeing 707 started taking over from the Starliners the New York flights followed by the Chicago flight in May. Two of its 1649As were converted to all-cargo aircraft, the first returning in July 1960 from USA to replace the leased 1049H on the all-cargo flights to New York. 1961 saw the replacement of the 1049Gs on the Far Eastern route by Boeing 707. In 1962 two 1649As were leased out to World Airways and the 1049Gs were withdrawn temporarily for front spar repairs after a fatigue crack was detected on one aircraft. Back in service within a few weeks the aircraft were used on European and Domestic routes. Inspired by Eastern Air Lines' shuttle service a so called Air Bus route, connecting Hamburg - Frankfurt, was introduced. Originally cheaper than the First Class railway ticket on the route the one way price was later increased to DM 75 for political reasons. By 1964 all the 1049Gs had been withdrawn from all schedules except the German domestic network which was taken over by Boeing 727 in 1967 and the last scheduled Lufthansa Super Connie flights were made on the Frankfurt - Munich, Munich - Hamburg and Hamburg - Frankfurt routes. The last 1049G was withdrawn from use in October 1967.

Delivered to Lufthansa, Hamburg 15 April 1955 and in service June 55. Sold to Seaboard & Western 17 May 1957. Leased to Irish International, still wearing N611C. Bought back form Seaboard and restored to D-ALAK 24 November 1958. Crashed on Tubiacanga Beach, by Galeao airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 11 January 1959. Extended undercarriage hit the water on approach in bad weather.

Photo taken April 1957. Lockheed Archives.

June 55 - March 67

Delivered to Lufthansa 29 April 1955, first visit of LH Super G to London. Used on inaugural flight Hamburg - Dusseldorf - New York on 8-9 June 1955. Made last flight 9 march 1967 and scrapped at Hamburg April 1967.

D-ALEM pictured at Singapore December 1957, Zoggavia Collection.

June 55 - July 67

Delivered to Lufthansa
29 April 1955, first visit of LH Super G to London. Used by Chancellor
Adenauer for Moscow visit 8 September 1955. Withdrawn from use 10 July
1967. Donated to Hamburg airport and later on display at Hermeskeil,
Germany, current.

Photo taken at Abidjan 1960, Joe Pries Vintage Collection.

June 55 - June 67

To Lufthansa 28 May 1955. Withdrawn from service 6 June 1967 and transported to Neu-Wulmstorf, Germany, for conversion to the Flug-Café and remained in use until 1975, scrapped on site April 1975.

Seen here at Singapore beginning 1959, Zoggavia Collection.

April 56 - July 67

To Lufthansa 28 March 1956. Inaugural flight to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Buenes Aires 15-16 August 1956. Sold to North American Trading Corporation (H.Warton)believed to have received 5T-TAK registration. Flown to Lisbon and withdrawn from use there. Scrapped early 1981.

Seen here at Hamburg in June 1966, Zoggavia Collection.

August 56 - October 1967

To Lufthansa 14 August 1956. Withdrawn from service 6 October 1967 and sold to North American
Trading Corporation (H.Warton)and registered 5T-TAG. Crashed at Uli airstrip on 1 July 1968.

Approaching Frankfurt in 1967, Peter F. Peyer Collection.

August 56 - October 67

To Lufthansa 7 August 1956. Withdrawn from service 30 September 1967 and sold to North American
Trading Corporation (H.Warton)and registered 5T-TAH. Damaged at Uli airstrip on 14 August 1968.

Run-up at Zurich-Kloten on a cold winter day in December 1965, Zoggavia Collection.

March 59 - October 59

Sub-leased from Transocean Airways for cargo flights between Frankfurt and New York. Used as passenger aircraft in several occasions as seen in this picture.

New York's Idlewild airport in August 1959, Zoggavia Collection.

November 59 - March 60

Leased from Chase Manhattan Bank & Canadair Ltd. via Flying Tiger Line as N6921C and painted in old Lufthansa colors for all cargo work. Returned to Flying Tiger March 1960. Crashed later in Pacific Ocean 15 March 1962 with 96 passengers and 11 crew on board.

Photographed at San Francisco December 1959, Clinton H. Groves Collection.

December 57 - July 62,
March 64 - November 65

To Lufthansa 27 September 1957. To Lockheed Air Services for cargo aircraft conversion April 1960 and named 'Isar'. Leased to World Airways from 19 July 1962 until February 1964. Used on Passenger flights until wfu November 1965 and later sold to Nordlfug for use as a restaurant, the "Nordflug Café" at Hartenholm. Destroyed by fire 31 July 1975 and remains scrapped.New York Idlewild, summer 1959, Zoggavia Collection.

February 58 - July 1962,
April 64 - February 1966

To Lufthansa 20 December 1957 and entered service 5 February 1958. To Lockheed Air Services for cargo aircraft conversion
May 1960 and named 'Neckar'. Leased to World Airways from 9 July 1962
until 6 February 1964. Used on Passenger flights until sold to Parker & Ransom Aircraft Sales 22 February 1966.Rare visit to London Heathrow in Winter 1965.

March 58 - October 62

Delivered to Lufthansa as D-ALER on 9 January 1958. Nominally transferred to
Deutscher Flugdienst, Condor, on 1 March 1960, but retained Lufthansa
colors. Was also used by Lufthansa when required. Leased to World
Airways as N45517 from 2 October 1962 until 12 February 1964. Sold to Trek Airways same day.

Arriving from Frankfurt, New York Idlewild April 1959. Clinton H. Groves Collection.

March 58 - October 62

Delivered to Lufthansa as D-ALOL on 17 January 1958. Nominally transferred to
Deutscher Flugdienst, Condor, on 1 March 1960, but retained Lufthansa
colors. Was also used by Lufthansa when required. Leased to World
Airways as N45520 from 5 October 1962 until 21 February 1964. Sold to Trek Airways same day.